תורה 13

“Ashrei haam (Happy is the people) that knows the shofar’s blast; God, in the light of Your countenance they shall go.” (Psalms 89:16)

Drawing complete Divine providence is impossible, unless one first shatters the desire for money. Its shattering is achieved through charity.

For it is taught in the Zohar (III, 224a): A ruach descends to allay the burning of the heart. When the ruach (wind) descends, the heart receives it with the rejoicing of the Levitical song.

“Ruach” corresponds to [giving] charity, which is [indicative of] a “generous ruach (spirit).” With this [ruach], the burning desire for money is cooled. This corresponds to (Psalms 76:13), “He shall cut off the ruach of the noblemen”—because the ruach lessens the desire for nobility and wealth.

“The Levitical song” corresponds to engaging honestly in the give-and-take of business. He is happy with his lot and does not run to get rich. This is because song corresponds to the give-and-take, as is written, “Take up a song and give a timbrel” (Psalms 81:3). [And] “rejoicing” refers to the one who is happy with his lot.

And this is the aspect of the incense, it binds the heart’s burning with the ruach. This is the meaning of, “Incense makes the heart rejoice” (Proverbs 27:9). It also corresponds to (Deuteronomy 33:10), “They shall place incense in Your af (nostrils),” because the aspect of incense nullifies the [curse]: “By the sweat of your af you will eat [bread]” (Genesis 3:19).

This likewise corresponds to the revelation of Mashiach, at which time the lust for money will be eliminated. As it is written (Isaiah 2:20), “On that day, man will throw off his idols of silver and his idols of gold.” It is also (Lamentations 4:20), “The ruach (breath) of our af, the mashiach (anointed) of God.”

And, as long as there is this worshipping of money in the world, there is charon af (burning anger) in the world (cf. Sifri 13:18). But, to the extent that this form of idolatry is nullified, so is the burning anger eliminated, as in, “The ruach of our af, the anointed of God.” Lovingkindness is then drawn down into the world, as in (Psalms 18:51), “He does chesed (lovingkindness) for His anointed.”

When this chesed is revealed, daat (holy knowledge)—through which the House is built—is drawn down. This corresponds to (Psalms 5:8), “But as for me, with an abundance of Your lovingkindness will I come to Your House.” As it is written in the Zohar (III, 220b): And the right side… it has been readied for building the Holy Temple. This is because knowledge is the aspect of House, as our Sages taught: When someone has daat, it is as if the Holy Temple was built… (Berakhot 33a).